Free Here Come The Bridesmaids by Ann M. Martin Page B

either side of Reverend Gunness, who was beaming.
    I turned to face Dad and Carol. They had held back, so they could proceed down the "aisle" by themselves.
    They began walking, slowly. They held hands. Carol pressed her bouquet to her chest. Her dress billowed gently behind her. She waved to her family, who were clustered together up front. Small tear rivers were running down her face.
    Dad's head was high. He was smiling so hard I thought his cheeks would break. His tie flapped over his shoulder, but he didn't seem to notice. Or care.
    He looked about college-age. Like photos of him from when I was a baby. I couldn't believe the difference. I just stared and stared at him.
    When he and Carol finally stopped, his eyes met mine. I could see them go glassy all of a sudden.
    He blinked, and a tear slowly dropped off his eyelash.
    That was when I lost it. I sobbed just as Reverend Gunness said "Dearly beloved."
    But no one seemed to care. I sure didn't. The reverend kept reciting. I kept on crying. Jeff managed to dig the rings out of his
    "Dawn
    pocket. Dad and Carol said "I will," loudly and dearly.
    And when it was all over, the crowd burst into cheers.
    The singers' voices rang out again. People were shaking hands, laughing, rushing toward the happy couple.
    Mary Anne ran toward me, arms open.
    "He did it!" she cried. "He did it!"
    We squeezed each other tightly. Mary Anne was crying so hard, her shoulders were heaving. I realized how much this wedding meant to her. Her own life had changed so wonderfully when her dad found happiness. She wanted the same for me.
    And that was more important than my horrible foul-up, a casual beach wedding, and an unwanted dress.
    I am so lucky.
    My eyes misted over again. Before I buried my face into Mary Anne, I spotted something out of the corner of my eye.
    It was Jeff’s paisley tie, flying high overhead.
    Chapter 14.
    Shannon.
    "These seats are too hard."
    "Do I have to go to Sunday school?"
    "I'm firsty!"
    "Thirsty! Can you say th?"
    "Fffff."
    "How come they have cushions on the floor?"
    "Where's Mommy?"
    "My collar is too tight."
    'Taylor stepped on my shoe!"
    Welcome to the Barrett-DeWitt wedding.
    The words were flying all around me. Who was saying what? I'm not sure (except that Ryan DeWitt is the one who hasn't got the th sound yet).
    Mallory and I had our hands full.
    At first we thought it wouldn't be too bad. Buddy and Lindsey are the two biggest mischief makers, and they were to be in the wedding, as ring bearer and flower girl.
    So our mission was to stay in the back pew with the remaining children of Mrs. Barrett (Suzi and Marnie) and Franklin (Taylor, Madeleine, and Ryan).
    No other kids were there. Mrs. Barrett said that kids often are not invited to weddings.
    I thought that was kind of cruel.
    Until we sat with the kids in church.
    Shannon
    "I have to go I have to go I have to go!" Madeleine said, tugging on my nice new silk blouse.
    "I'll take her," Mallory whispered.
    An older couple was walking down the aisle. The wife was arm in arm with an usher. She and her husband gave us a withering glance (I read that expression in a book and if s perfect).
    Fortunately it was still early. The organist was playing softly in the choir loft overhead. Guests were straggling in.
    The three ushers were dressed in gray morning coats, which are like tuxes with long tails. One of them looked a little bored, until he saw the kids.
    He wandered over to us, smiling, and held out a quarter in his open palm. "See this?" he asked.
    The kids nodded. The usher rubbed his hands together and opened them again. They were empty.
    "Oops, I see it!" he suddenly exclaimed, then reached behind Taylor's ear and pulled out — the quarter.
    "Whoa!" Taylor said in awe.
    As the kids oohed and aahed, a woman walked up behind the usher and said, "Hrrrrmph. I'm a friend of the bride."
    Stomnon
    "Oops, excuse me." The usher took the woman's arm and guided her to a seat.
    "I can do that trick," Suzi said.